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Tag Archives: Detoxification

With the recent suicidal death of comedian Robin Williams still fresh in our minds and hearts, I thought I would spend the last part of this series on depression considering the physiology of addiction in general and the nutritional profile of an alcoholic, along with some helpful nutritional and herbal support protocols.

The question I would like to explore and hopefully shed some light on is, “What comes first: depression or addiction? ” My immediate suggestion is that addiction comes first. Here’s why I think addiction comes before depression.

Quite simply put, alcohol depletes B Vitamin in the blood stream and over time literally cooks and petrifies the liver. The liver then can no longer process its chemistry, chief among which is the conversion of blood sugar to glycogen (inositol) for brain fuel. The brain’s energy depends on glycogen, and without B Vitamins, the pancreas cannot make insulin. Without insulin, blood sugar cannot be delivered to the brain and the cells of the body. A severe drop in energy occurs which triggers a craving for sugar. Alcohol turns to sugar in the blood stream. The social drinker turns more and more to alcohol for sugar, not to mention inhibition and escape from reality. As liver function is compromised, vital nutrients such as iron and glycogen, as well as hormones, fail to be released into the blood stream, and left-over hormones do not get deactivated. Without nutrients and sugar, the brain cannot function. Its chemistry becomes desperately imbalanced. Depression sets in.

This is not to say that clinical depression doesn’t come before addiction, especially to prescription drugs and, of course, recreational drugs. Alcohol, of course, is a drug. So, a person who is depressed may turn to drugs and alcohol for a mental and emotional “high.” In this instance, depression does come first.

As I considered in the previous post of July 22nd, depression is a spiritual event. It is the suppression of love, the imprisonment of the Self; a prison from which escape seems increasingly impossible. Suicide is often chosen as the only way out.

WHAT SUICIDE ISN’T

Suicide is not a cowardly act nor a show of weakness. On the contrary, it takes a huge amount of courage and compassion. Courage to do the irreversible and compassion for one’s family and close friends upon whom the person will no longer be a problem or a burden. Suicide totally removes one from the stressful and overwhelming reality of one’s world. If you have time to read a well-written and thoughtful article which appeared on Facebook in the wake of Robin’s suicide, click on this link to open a separate window. “The Death Of Robin Williams, And What Suicide Isn’t” by Elizabeth Hawksworth.

A NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE BODY WITH ALCOHOLISM AND DEPRESSION

St. John’s Wort has been known to relieve depression, and here’s why. This herb has a way of detoxifying the pathways in the liver that process and release stored vital nutrients into the bloodstream. (See the commentary below). It’s a liver detox herb, so powerful that it even destroys drugs, prescription and so-called “recreational” drugs, rendering them impotent and ineffective. That’s a drawback for someone on heart and other crisis intervention medications. You cannot take St. John’s Wort if you are taking prescription drugs for crisis intervention and prevention (such as heart attack, hypertension and stroke.)

A LIVER DETOX AND REPAIR PROTOCOL

You can detox your liver with a 21-day program. All you have to do is refrain completely from refined carbohydrates and take a few pills and capsules with your daily meals. There are two phases to this detox program.

Phase I: neutralizes many chemicals directly and excretes them in the bile. St. John’s Wort-IMT (3 capsules per day: 1 with each meal.) will destroy drugs by doubling the liver P450 enzyme action that makes drugs ineffective. NOT TO BE TAKEN WHEN ON CRITICAL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.

(NOTE: The following products are by Standard Process Labs and Medi-Herb and are available only through healthcare professionals. It is not recommended to take these products without the professional management of a qualified healthcare practitioner.)

Hepatrophin (3/day) – Helps repair and rebuild the liver. Helps the liver release iron and other stored nutrients and hormones into the bloodstream.

St. John’s Wort-IMT (3) – NOT TO BE USED WHEN ON CRITICAL MEDICATIONS (See commentary below)

Spanish Black Radish (6) – Supports gastrointestinal tract function, promoting the body’s detoxification mechanism by cleansing the colon through excretion of toxic materials. It also contains sulfur, which has an antibiotic action. It acts as a diuretic and promotes systemic detoxification by activating the liver’s primary detoxification mechanism, the cytochrome P450 and the Phase II enzyme system.

Cholacol II (4 tabs. 15 minutes before meals) – Bentonite clay grabs and absorbs toxic metals and chemicals being excreted by the liver and dumped into the intestinal tract for elimination. This prevents toxins from being taken up into the body during elimination through the gut.

The following commentary on St. John’s Wort-IMT is excerpted from the CLINICAL REFERENCE GUIDE put out to professionals by Standard Process and Medi-Herb. It is such an important herbal/nutritional supplement that I want my readers to fully understand it. So I am re-publishing it here.

Commentary: ST. JOHN’S WORT- IMT includes INOSITOL and MIN- TRAN and is present in a base of calcium, magnesium, alfalfa, carrot oil, and kelp, which all function synergistically to support the nervous system. St. John’s Wort is used in cases of mild to moderate depression particularly when side effects from standard anti-depressant drugs become intolerable to the patient. Also, it is usable with symptoms of menopause, neuralgia, sciatica, and spinal injuries. In addition to offering the known therapeutic benefits of ST. JOHN’S WORT, this product specifically supports thyroid function. This is critical as even sub-clinical hypothyroidism can be associated with incidences of mild to severe depression and manic-depressive episodes. Clinical studies have shown ST. JOHN’S WORT to produce similar and/or better results when compared to antidepressant drugs in the treatment of mild to moderate depression (Vorbach ED et aI., 1997; Pharmacopsych 30:S81-5). An additional benefit found was the absence of significant side effects. INOSITOL has therapeutic effects in mood disorders that are generally responsive to selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. Clinical studies suggest that conditions including depression, pain and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) show beneficial results with the use of INOSITOL, but without the adverse side effects of TCA’s (Benjamin 1., et al. Psychopharmacol Bull 31(1):167-75, 1995).

IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO THE ABOVE

At least do this for your liver over a period of six weeks to help it detoxify, repair and rebuild.

(NOTE: The following products are by Standard Process Labs and Medi-Herb and are available only through healthcare professionals. It is not recommended to take these products without the professional management of a qualified healthcare practitioner.)

Livaplex – Start with 2 per day and build up to 6. This is a liver detox formulation of synergistic whole food nutrients.

Catalyn – 6 tablets per day, 3 with breakfast and 3 with dinner. This is a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement, the best on the planet.

Albaplex – 6 capsules per day (3 morn and 3 eve). This will help the kidneys and liver detox and support the immune system in dealing with infection.

Protefood – 3 capsules per day (1 with ea. meal). This will take sugar cravings away by balancing blood sugar.

Disclaimer: None of the above recommendations and products are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease but are solely intended to support normal organ and tissue function in the human body.

If I can be of any assistance to you with these programs, feel free to contact me by email. Until my next post . . .

here’s to your health and healing.

Anthony Palombo, D.C.

Email: dranthonypalombo@live.com

Visit my other blog at HealingTones.org for inspirational reading. As of today, 120 countries have visited my blogs.

Over the last three days, I’ve had 277 visitors to this blog. This sudden surge is likely due to a reader and fellow blogger reblogging my blog. The post that piqued her interest was one I published back in January under the title “Cancer Cure and the pH Factor.” I am duly impressed. You might find her blog interesting as well.

Let’s talk about depression and its causes and cures. Orthodox medicine treats the brain for depression. The underlying cause of depression, however, has less to do with the brain and more to do with the body — especially the gut, as we will see. The brain may control the body’s functions via the central nervous system, with the help of biofeedback through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. But the brain is nourished by the body and is only as healthy as the body.

CAUSE AT A DEEPER LEVEL

Depression is fundamentally about the suppression of energy. In a certain sense, it is a spiritual event. All energy is love. Love is all that IS. Energy expresses through form, and when that expression is thwarted, suppressed or shut down, pressure begins to build behind the dam of resistance to whatever is trying to find expression, which is love or joy. The expression of love and joy allows for release of this energy. Elation is the result. On the other hand, suppression of love and joy prevents the release of this energy. Depression is then the result.

This is a simplified explanation of the essential dynamics of depression at a core level, and must be kept in mind as we consider the various causes of resistance that results in depression. There are at least four areas that need to be taken in consideration when searching for the cause of a person’s depression: 1) blood sugar, 2) the liver, 3) the gut flora, 4) the endocrine glands (hormonal response to stress). These four areas overlap in most cases of depression, so I will be addressing more than one area at times. I will cover the entire territory in two or three consecutive posts.

DEPRESSION AND BLOOD SUGAR

Blood sugar imbalance is highly suspect in cases of acute and chronic depression. Low blood sugar — clinically known as hypoglycemia — deprives the cells of energy they need to function. This includes brain cells, which depend on sugar for energy entirely. A classic symptom of low blood sugar is sugar cravings. If you crave sugar or shake if you miss a meal, you can be sure that you have hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, of course, can lead to diabetes if not corrected. So, let’s look at hypoglycemia, how it can cause depression, and what one can do to reverse this dis-ease.

Blood sugar is regulated by the endocrine system, specifically the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands. The Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas play a non-regulating role of taking blood sugar and attaching an insulin molecule to it as an escort into the cells where is can be used as fuel. The liver is also involved, as it’s a storehouse for hormones, glucose, iron and several other important nutrients, not to mention its primary function of detoxifying the blood stream of metabolic waste, which includes unused hormones. We’ll come back to that later, but first, let’s look at the three chief endocrine regulators, which make up a family of endocrine glands called the HPA Axis. Here’s an excerpt from CNS Forum explaining the chemistry involved in depression:

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in

depression

In depression, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is upregulated with a down-regulation of its negative feedback controls. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is hypersecreted from the hypothalamus and induces the release of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary. ACTH interacts with receptors on adrenocortical cells and cortisol is released from the adrenal glands; adrenal hypertrophy can also occur. Release of cortisol into the circulation has a number of effects, including elevation of blood glucose. The negative feedback of cortisol to the hypothalamus, pituitary and immune system is impaired. This leads to continual activation of the HPA axis and excess cortisol release. Cortisol receptors become desensitized leading to increased activity of the pro-inflammatory immune mediators and disturbances in neurotransmitter transmission. (Click on picture to enlarge it for easier reading.)

If you had a difficult time following the sequence of events, don’t sweat it, so did I. Body chemistry is a miracle that, like all miracles, cannot be fully grasped by the human mind. What you just read above is someone’s explanation based on a somewhat limited understanding of the complexity of human endocrinology. As a brilliant colleague, Dr. Janet Lang, once put it in a seminar on functional endocrinology, the endocrine glands are a family and behave like one. We might think we gain understanding of them by taking them aside and studying their function and behavior. Put them back with their siblings and their behavior changes as they interact with them. So, we need to understand and treat them as part of a family and not as isolated hormonal glands. (This is why blood tests for thyroid function, for instance, are virtually useless in gaining an understanding of this gland’s output. Saliva tests are far more accurate.)

Now I’ll give you the simplified explanation along with what can be done to correct this one cause of depression using food supplements and herbs.

THE HPA AXIS

The hypothalamus acts as a mediator between environmental activity and hormonal response to that activity. Environmental activity is perceived through your five senses and sent via your central nervous system as information to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus receives, interprets and evaluates this information, then sends signals to the pituitary gland in the form of hormonal precursors that solicit a response in this Master Gland that results in the production of stimulating hormones — such as TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), ACTH (adrenocorticotropin hormone), and FSH (ovarian follicle stimulating hormone), etc. These hormone precursors are sent to the appropriate ductless hormonal glands in the body via the bloodstream, which then produce hormones that will trigger an appropriate response in body cells , depending on the type of activity being called for.

The environment, by the way, includes the internal terrain of the physical body as well as the mental and emotional terrain and the activities therein. An example of the physical terrain’s influence on the HPA Axis would be poor nutrition and toxicity resulting in a health crisis. An example of the mental and emotional influence on the HPA Axis would be arousal of the stress fight or flight response simply by thoughts about your seemingly impossible situation in life, be it your health, your job, your marriage or relationships, or any number of stressful life situations. Think about it long enough while doing nothing about it results in chronic stress. It also frustrates and confuses the hypothalamus, which hypes up its secretion of CRF precursors to the pituitary, and exhausts the adrenal cortex causing the pituitary to hype up its production of ACTH to stimulate the exhausted adrenal glands. So you can see how these glands act in concert with one another and not on their own.

HELPFUL NUTRITIONAL AND HERBAL SUPPORT

If you know your have sugar handling issues — either hypoglycemia or diabetes — then you can help your body restore balance in this area so that energy can be released to the cells of the brain. This is treating the underlying cause of one form of depression. Here are my recommendations:

First of all, the liver needs to be detoxified, which means the pathways in the liver need to be opened up to allow chemical processes to work their miracle on metabolic waste, mainly devitalizing it and eliminating it from the body. There are some very excellent nutritional protocols that can accomplish this in just 21 days. They include St. John’s Wort, garlic, beet tops, cruciferous vegetables, herbal detoxifiers such as Schisandra fruit, Rosemary leaf, Milk Thistle seed, and herbal toners and tonics such as Globe Artichoke leaf, Dandelion root, just to list the few main herbs. All these nutritional and herbal remedies are available in product formulations from Standard Process and Medi-Herb, partners in providing health professionals with exceptional and highly effective wholefood supplements and Australian herbs. You may contact me for professional guidance and product procurement.

Secondly, the endocrine glands that make up the HPA Axis and the brain need nutritional support and herbal nourishment. Some of the main products in this protocol are Hypothalmex, Paraplex, E-Manganese, Drenamin,Adrenal Complex, Min-Chex, and Niacinamide B6.

Thirdly, your sugar-handling systems need support. Products by Standard Process include Diaplex to nourish the pancreas, Cataplex GTF for chromium to facilitate sugar consumption at the cellular level, Gymnema to balance blood sugar, Inositol for brain fuel, Zypan for digestion of proteins, and Protefood to provide the 8 essential amino acids needed to utilize the amino acids in your food after proteins are broken down by your digestive system. (Details on products are available on Standard Process‘s website.)

DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

Hypoglycemia conditions need frequent meals and snacks. Five small meals daily is the recommendation. Some protein needs to be included in these meals and snacks. Nuts are a good source of protein and are much better than sugars and carbohydrates as they help raise blood sugar without spiking insulin.

For Type II Diabetes (a.k.a. insulin-resistance diabetes), refrain from sugars and starches entirely for 30 days. Eat only foods that are low on the glycemic index. The rationale here is to free up insulin receptor sites on the cells by cutting back on insulin production by the pancreas, which occurs every time you eat sweets and starches. It will take approximately 30 days to use up the sugar-laden insulin floating around in your blood stream. The cells are really not “resistant” to insulin, they simply have no room left to receive any more sugar-laden insulin . . . thus the need to stop spiking insulin. A liver detox could be done at least once a year.

For Type I Diabetics (a.k.a. insulin-dependent diabetes), the best you can do is give ample support to your body’s sugar handling systems and, of course, observe a diabetic diet. You would be wise to eliminate all refined carbohydrate and processed foods from your diet. Nutritional therapeutic support could be incorporated into your daily regimen of meds, especially for the insulin-producing B cell in your pancreas which may be able to be regenerated if they are not entirely burned out. The protocol would include Diaplex, Cataplex GTF, Gymnema, Cataplex B and Inositol. A liver detox could be done at least once a year.

The products recommended above are only available through licensed healthcare professionals. You are welcome to consult with me by email or by phone for a modest fee, as well as to order products.

(Note: These blog articles and recommendations made therein are not intended to diagnose or treat any disease and are not to be construed to preclude appropriate medical attention.)

In my next post we will consider the impressive role the gut flora plays in depression and health in general. Until then, here’s to your health and healing.

Anthony Palombo, D.C.

Email: dranthonypalombo@live.com

See my second blog, HealingTones.org, for inspiring articles on handling sacred energy. Recently I’ve been writing about our Electromagnetic Universe and the Body Electric.

As to diseases, make a habit of two things — to help, or at least, to do no harm.

Greek Physician, Scientist and the Father of Medicine wrote these profound words of wisdom that really were meant to steer medicine in a more natural direction.

Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness. — Hippocrates (460 BC – 377 BC)

I lifted the following article with picture from a post by Veganism on Face Book. Lots of good information here. Enjoy!

Food is medicine and organic fruits and vegetables take center stage in achieving ultimate health and longevity. Morally and ethically, what is on the end of your fork clearly defines your approach to compassion, your environment, your health and well being. The following foods are valuable in sustaining your health, embracing life and avoiding surgeries, prescription drugs and the inevitable .

BLUEBERRIES POWERFUL ANTIOXIDANTS

The dye that is released from the blueberries’ skin may well be the most valuable nutrient the fruit has to offer. The pigments in blueberries and also in red crops such as cherries, plums, and red cabbage are powerful antioxidants. They have been determined to be a much-heralded chemical warrior against heart disease and also cancer. Blueberries actually have the highest antioxidant capacity because of their large anthocyanin concentration.

Antioxidants in our food can save us from virtually everything. Most of our health misfortunes are due to the perversity of oxygen. Our cells are perpetually besieged by toxic forms of oxygen which have been proved to have fierce destructive powers. So far scientists have linked destructive oxygen reactions to at least sixty different chronic diseases, as well as to aging itself. Oxygen free radicals can attack DNA, the genetic material of cells, causing them to mutate, which is a step on the path to cancer.

RED CABBAGE A POWERFUL DETOX FOOD

Red cabbage is a good source of phytonutrients that help to detoxify pollutants and other carcinogens that most people are exposed to on a daily basis. Like other cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, it’s high in glucosinolates, compounds which are metabolized by the body to form powerful cancer fighting chemicals known as isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates activate the liver enzymes that break down carcinogens, allowing them to be safely eliminated from the body. People who consume high quantities of cruciferous vegetables have been shown to have a lower risk of certain types of cancer. Red cabbage is also a good source of indoles, compounds that may reduce the risk of breast cancer by altering estrogen metabolism.

RED BEETS HAVE ANTI-CARCINOGENS

Red Beet is unique for its high levels of anti-carcinogens and its very high carotenoid content. Red beets are high in carbohydrates and low in fat and it is an excellent source of folic acid. It is loaded with antioxidant that helps the body against heart disease, certain cancer especially colon cancer and even birth defects. Betacyanin is the pigment that gives beets their red color; this pigment is absorbed into the blood corpuscles and can increase the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood by up to 400 per cent. Don’t throw away the green leafy tops as they can be cooked like spinach and are also rich in beta-carotene, folic acid, chlorophyll, potassium, vitamin C, and iron.

BEET ROOT FOR LEUKEMIA

Beet root is a traditional treatment used for leukemia. Beet root contain an amino acid betaine which has an anti cancer properties. Red beet therapy, consisting of consumption of approximately two pounds of raw, mashed beets daily, has been favorably reported for cases of leukemia and tumors (includes cancer). Research also shows that beet juice can help inhibit the development of colon and stomach cancer. It is believed that red beets when eaten regularly may help against certain oxidative stress-related disorders. The fiber in red beets helps reduce serum cholesterol by 30 to 40%.Beets can help in normalizing blood pressure.

BEETS FOR HEALTHY ARTERIES AND VEINS

Beets helps to keep the elasticity of arteries, when consumed regularly it can help prevent varicose veins. The iron content of red beets, though not high but is of the finest quality that makes it a powerful cleanser and builder of blood. This is the reason why beets is very effective in treating many ailments caused by toxic environment and surrounding.

BEETS HAVE FOLIC ACID NEEDED IN PREGNANCY

Beet root is recommended for pregnant women because it contains folic acid that can help lower the risk of spinabifida and other neural tube defects in newborn infants.Beet juice helps stimulate the function of liver cells and protect the liver and bile ducts. Beet juice is highly alkaline which makes it effective in the treatment of acidosis. Drinking beets regularly can help relieve constipation. Beet juice and carrot juice when combined is excellent in the healing gout, kidney and gall bladder problem. You can tell that I love beets, I eat and juice at least six beets and the tops everyday religiously. One of my nicknames at the health food store that I frequent is “beet-man.”

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES DETOXIFY THE LIVER

Vegetables that are members of the cruciferous, or cabbage, family not only contain fiber and many vitamins and minerals (including antioxidants) that promote optimal health, they also contain sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. These phytonutrients have been shown to stimulate enzymes in the body that help the liver remove carcinogens (and other toxic chemicals) and deactivate a powerful estrogen metabolite that promotes tumor growth.

STOP TUMOR GROWTH IN THE BREAST — ANTI-CANCER FOOD

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, various components in cruciferous vegetables have been shown to stop tumor growth in the breast, uterine lining, cervix, colon, lung, and liver and according to studies monitoring diets, eating calciferous vegetables can lower ones risk of getting prostate cancer. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mustard greens, radishes and mustard greens.

KALE FOR THE EYES

Kale is absolutely rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Americans. The “Icing on the Kale” are the naturally occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let’s not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. Rest assured kale spares nothing in providing one with much needed nutrients and associated health benefits. The naturally rich sulfur content of kale deserves a bit more discussion.

Science has discovered that sulforaphane, helps boost the body’s detoxification enzymes, possibly by altering gene expression. This is turn is purported to help clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables like kale are chopped or chewed. This somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, of which we all are exposed on daily basis. A recently new study in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation.

BEANS ARE COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

Beans are an often-overlooked source of incredible health benefits. – They have a lot of carbs, leading people to believe they should be avoided and seen as a weight gain risk only. Nothing could be farther from the truth though, as research has shown that the carbohydrates found in most beans are of the complex variety.

Complex carbohydrates are not contributors to any sort of weight gain, instead providing the brain and muscles with a lot of good, stable energy supplies. Beans actually contain a wider variety of healthy nutrients than most foods. These include calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, folate, and alpha-linolenic acid. These nutrients work together on several key areas of the body promoting total health.

SOURCE OF COMPLETE PROTEINS

Beans also happen to be good sources of complete proteins, which is rare in plants. Plants, while having many different nutrients, often lack complete proteins of any kind. This is unfortunate, as protein is a vital ingredient to the healthy and normal functioning of the human body, and the most readily available sources of protein have negative effects on the heart. Beans, however, are plentiful in protein. Most of the commotion that beans are generating in the scientific community has to do with the fact that they are showing to provide protection from many of the most feared and lethal diseases plaguing Americans today.

Studies done in universities have shown that eating beans on a regular basis reduces a person’s risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity. Sometimes the reduction in risk is substantial. The risk for heart disease, for example, may be reduced by as much as 22%. Beans help to curb hunger, and offer the body valuable sources of ready energy that it can burn quickly and effectively. Because of this, beans boost energy levels, and as a result, promote weight loss.

POWERFUL LITTLE FOOD

Beans are powerful little foods that have been ignored for far too long. Associated with Carbohydrates and gas, current studies have done a wonderful job of increasing our understanding of this plentiful food and revealed it to be packed with important nutrition. The benefits that can be attained from eating beans are as varied as all of the nutrients they contain, but what is important is that many of these benefits help to protect people from some of the most feared illnesses of our times. i eat beans regularly, both sprouted and cooked. I only buy organic beans in bulk and the ones that I fine the most nutritional is adzuki, mung and garbanzo.

WHOLE GRAINS PROVIDE UNIQUE ANTIOXIDANTS

Whole grains offer vitamins and minerals, plus high levels of antioxidants and other healthy plant-based nutrients. Whole grains contain protective antioxidants in amounts near or exceeding those in fruits and vegetables. They also provide some unique antioxidants not found in other foods. Studies have shown that eating more whole grains may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. New studies show that whole grains may lower triglycerides, improve insulin control, help in weight management, and slow the build-up of arterial plaque. Optimal whole grains are hulled barley, wheat berries, buckwheat, rye, spelt, quinoa, black rice and brown rice. Quinoa and buckwheat are actually fruit seeds but look like grains so I call them grains. They are powerfully nutritional loaded with protein and calcium among lots of fiber and many other nutrients.

Here’s a perspective I’ve been entertaining since the Twin Towers were destroyed, along with the lives of several thousand human beings, cells all in the larger body of Humanity. It came to me as I was viewing the tragic event on TV that fateful morning and feeling the wave of fear, disbelief and anger sweeping across the viewing public, and when President Bush declared war on terrorism. It’s come up again as I watch current events in Syria and our president’s leadership in the global community of Humanity and feel the wave of emotional reaction sweeping the nation, some of it being articulated on Face Book, with President Obama being judged as a “warmonger.” Is he?

War is a nasty business, but so is cancer and the battle that goes on in our bodies to deal forthrightly and ruthlessly with free radicals. There have always been “free radicals” in the world scene, and they are dealt with forthrightly.

There may be a larger picture to consider when judging President Obama’s decision to strike a blow to Syrian President Assad’s war machinery. This action, as with other aggressive actions taken by nations to eliminate terrorists and brutal dictators, can be viewed as an immune response in the body of Humanity. And, yes, the body of Humanity, like our own bodies, has an immune system, and it is just as aggressive as our body’s immune system when it comes to tagging toxins and eliminating them — inevitably at the expense of innocent and healthy cells, thousands giving their lives in the aggressive action.

Do we decry the loss of the thousands of body cells that die every minute, every hour, every day? Do we judge our body’s spirit and innate intelligence as a “warmonger” when it attacks pathogens, free radicals and cancer cells? It is spirit, after all, that governs our immune system. We certainly do no govern it with our conscious minds. Why is it not seen as spirit that governs the immune system of the larger body of Humanity, which is, after all, the Body of God on Earth? Just think about it. Stand back from the political drama paraded before our eyes on television — and from your own first flush of judgmental feelings — and take another look at it. That’s all.

America is literally a “Land of Love.” That’s what our nation’s name means. Do we not trust God’s hand in our nation’s presidential leadership? Do we think we know what moves in the hearts and spirits of great leaders in their decisions to take action on a global scale against those who would destroy and threaten the fabric of God’s Body for political gain and power? Or out of sheer insanity, as was Adolph Hitler’s crime against Humanity executed? I think we do not know what’s really moving behind President Obama of the Spirit of God and guiding his hand of leadership.

There’s a larger picture to consider. Let me not be so presumptuous as to think that I know what’s really afoot on planet Earth in these most unpleasant and tragic events. One thing I do know: “The truth is true and all is well. Unconquerable Life prevails.” And it isn’t always pretty.

Before we talk about chronic stress, there’s something we need to understand about the endocrine system and hormones. So, let’s talk about hormones first.

Hormones, I’ve learned, are a family and cannot be isolated and treated separately. This is likely why “hormone therapy” is the best we can come up with in treating the symptoms of hormone dysfunction. In medical science, we do not yet know how to restore function to hormonal glands when they malfunction—or, if we do, we’re not taking that route. The sole approach we’re taking with medicine today is the prescribing and ingesting of synthetic hormones, and in some cases the surgical removal of the malfunctioning gland altogether. Rather barbaric, I’d say, and a testament to our horse-and-buggy approach to sickness and health yet in this the twenty-first century.

Of course, “natural hormone replacement therapy” is now available. But we’re still putting the hormones into the body instead of correcting the malfunction. The old axiom can be applied here: “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” You can give the body hormones or restore normal function to its own endocrine system. If you give the body hormones, the demand is taken away and the glands will not be called into action to produce their hormones.

FUNCTIONAL ENDOCRINOLOGY

Here’s were “Functional Medicine” comes into the health care arena to save the day—and our sacred endocrine system. I’ve taken a few seminars in what is called “Functional Endocrinology” and, believe me, it’s a comprehensive and truly wholistic approach to balancing body chemistry. It also requires specializing, so I would encourage you to seek out an alternative practitioner who specializes in Functional Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition, or a least uses muscle testing for system strength analysis, such as Contact Reflex Analysis or Quantum Reflex Analysis, in determining functional deficiencies and appropriate nutritional and herbal support.

THE STRESS RESPONSE AND THE “HPA AXIS”

In functional endocrinology we have what is called the “HPA Axis” (Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal). These are the head coordinators of your endocrine family and are at the core of all hormonal activity, the most common of which is the “fight or flight” stress response. Here’s how that works. The hypothalamus apprises the pituitary gland about conditions in the body and around it. It’s the clearing house for information coming in through the five senses via the central nervous system. It says if it’s hot or cold, dangerous or safe, turbulent or peaceful in your world—including your physical body, your closest and most personal world. The pituitary gland received the information via chemical messengers from the hypothalamus and proceeds to send out a hormone precursor to the adrenal glands (as it does to all the glands) for further hormone production. The adrenal glands receive the precursors and squirts adrenalin into the blood stream to empower muscle cell activity. The blood vessels contract and the muscles get ready to act on your command. This is so with all cellular activity in the body. Every cell in your body needs adrenalin to function properly—or to function at all.

If the stress response is not shut off for a length of time—weeks and months—the stress becomes chronic. Chronic stress is a known contributor to fibromyalgia, as well as Chronic Fatigue (CFS), which is often caused by hypothyroid function. The adrenal and thyroid glands share a close relationship in the hormone family. The stress response triggers the production of adrenalin to get the muscles moving for flight or fight in the face of a threat—real or imagined. If a person doesn’t fight or flee from a threat and the threat is not removed, the adrenalin is not used up.

Adrenalin, like all hormones, becomes a toxin if not used up or removed from the blood stream and muscle tissue. It is used up in physical exercise. It is broken down by enzymes and removed by the lymphatic system—which also depends on exercise to move lymph fluid through the tissues and on to its final destination at the left subclavian vein just above the heart where it enters the blood stream. From there it is sent with the blood to the liver and kidneys to be filtered out and eliminated. If this doesn’t happen and the adrenalin remains in the tissues, two things happen. One, the adrenal glands are shut down by the pituitary gland, which gets the message from the hypothalamus that there’s no need for more adrenalin as the muscle tissues are saturated with it. Two, adrenalin, a steroid hormone called “cortisol,” is the bully of the hormone family if it doesn’t get its way. It wrecks havoc in estrogen chemistry balance and interferes with thyroid function.

There’s only one answer: deal with the stress factor. Fight back or flee the situation. Preferably, resolve it. Now, you can’t always do that, especially if the stress factor is your job or your marital relationship. You may need both—for a while anyway— so, denied a successful resolution, you stand or sit there in a state of quiet desperation while chronic stress sets in. This sends a message to your hypothalamus that you’re not going to do anything about the stress. A cascade of failures ensue:

The hypothalamus gets confused and frustrated, or at best incoherent, and may simply shut down.

This leaves the pituitary gland without clear and coherent instructions on what hormone precursors are needed by the family members of the endocrine system to make their hormones. An incoherent pituitary gland spells confusion and depression for the brain.

The thyroid gland falls off in its production of thyroid and parathyroid hormones, directly impacting your metabolism. You gain weight and lose bone density.

The thymus gland doesn’t get the feedback it needs about outside invaders and the possible need for an immune response.

The Beta cells of the pancreas (Islets of Langerhans) don’t know how much insulin to make to keep blood sugar balanced, resulting in hypo and/or hyperglycemia.

The adrenal glands just shut down leaving you with restless nights and no stamina during the day.

Finally, the sex hormone glands (the gonads) go haywire without the pituitary gland’s stimulating hormone precursors—the menstrual cycle loses its regularity and your libido shuts down in the absence of any desire to reproduce your stressed-out self. Survival, not reproduction, growth and healing, is your body’s primary interest at this point.

You get the picture, I believe. A family feud breaks out among your hormone glands—all because your hypothalamus is confused and your adrenal glands are exhausted. The result is pain and more pain and a complete lack of energy. (I won’t repeat the diagnostic terms medicine has for these conditions so as not to re-enforce mental fixations that get in the way of healing.)

OXYTOCIN TO THE RESCUE!

There is one out. Relax, throw your shoulders back, smile and be thankful for your circumstance . . . that you have a circumstance! A thankful attitude releases oxytocin into the blood stream which disengages the stress response. So does a hug and a hand shake. So, find someone to hug—or just hug yourself— and shake hands with someone, anyone! Get that oxytocin flowing 🙂

CLINICAL NUTRITIONAL TO THE RECOVERY

While medicating for pain and and pep, consider this protocol as a general program until you can find a clinical nutritionist who can evaluate your need more specifically. This protocol will begin giving you back your life and your bubbling personality. The products are all by Standard Process and Medi-Herb. Divide dosages between morning and evening meals, or between three meals if you’d rather.

4 Hypothalmex tablets – ($24/60 tabs)

4 Symplex F tablets (women), Symplex M (men) – ($17/90 t)

4 Black Current Seed Oil pearls – ($15/60 pearls)

8 Drenamin tablets – ($11/90 t)

3 Adrenal Complex for adrenal exhaustion – ($21/40 t)

3 Thyroid Complex for hypothyroid – ($26/40 t)

To that add these for general wholefood nutritional support:

6 Catalyn – ($11/90 tabs)

6 Min-Tran – ($6/90 t)

3 Trace Minerals B12 – ($15/90 t)

3 Tuna Omega 3 Oil pearls – ($20/120 pearls)

Drop me an email and I’ll have the products drop-shipped directly from Standard Process within a few days.* The cost for a 30-day supply of the above products with a 10% blog-readers discount is $280. You will feel so good after taking these therapeutic foods for a month that you will re-order every month for two more months. After this 90-day intensive therapy period, dosages on most supplements can be reduced to maintenance levels for the next 9 months. Stay with this program for a year if you want to reap its full benefits. We’re talking balancing your body chemistry and not just treating the symptoms of hormone imbalances for the rest of your life.

*Drop-shipping applies to orders within the USA. Postage and handling for out-of-county shipping will apply.

TOTAL PROTOCOL SUMMARY

1. First, detoxify. Do a 21-day total body purification using the Purification Kit by Standard Process. The cost: $240. Repeat this purification program every 4 months for a year, then twice a year thereafter.

2. For gouty arthritis and fluid retention, abstain from highly seasoned and high purine foods (turkey, pork, heavy beef, lentils, dried beans, avocados, and beer) and take the following:

AC Carbamide – 3 capsules with a tall glass of purified or spring water three times a day to support the kidneys in removing uric acid from the blood and excess fluid from the tissues. ($18/90 caps)

Iodomere – 2 tablets with meals (6 a day) for thyroid support and to help the kidneys take up fluid. ($19/90 tabs)

DermaCo herbal – one or two tablet per day to help maintain a normal level of uric acid in the bloodstream. ($28/40 tabs)

3. During and after the 21-day purification, support your lymphatic system with daily brisk walks or rebounding exercise and take the following:

Take 10 drops of Lymphapar sublingual 3 times daily for 7 days then once daily for 90 days. ($14/1 oz bottle. You’ll need 3 or 4 bottles. Email me and I’ll send you some as this is not an SP product.)

Add to that 1 Cal Amo tablet with each meal for 30 days. ($12/90 tabs)

Take 4 Allerplex capsules twice a day to help get rid of metabolic waste and histamines, particularly from the lungs and bronchial tubes. ($24/150 caps)

4. Next, support your immune system with the following supplements over the first 90 days:

Echinacea Premium (2/day)

Immuplex (6/day),

Thymex (6/day),

St. John’s Wort (2/day) – Contraindicated with life-dependent medicines as it detoxifies drugs in the liver.

Astragalus (2/day)

5. Support the stress-response and hormone system as detailed above.

Take this in steps and stages, and don’t rush the process. You didn’t get fibromyalgia or CFS overnight. Allow one month of correction for every year of chronic illness after going through a 90-day intensive. It takes that long to turn a deteriorating health pattern around and build an integrating health pattern. And, above all, be patient—and aim to maintain an attitude of gratitude! 🙂

This completes my consideration of fibromyalgia. I will resume my series “Seven Glands for Seven Spirits” with the next post. Until then,

Here’s to your health and healing . . . and a happy and healthy holiday season.

Dr. Anthony Palombo

tpal70@gmail.com

Visit my second blog, HealingTones.org, for intriguing thought around the current cosmic event, “4th Density Apocalypse 2012, Part 3: The Ascension Process.”

“If you make people think they think, they will love you. If you make them think, they will hate you.”

I trust that you will not hate me for helping you think for yourself on matters as personal and intimate to you as your health.

THE IMMUNE CONNECTION

Let’s talk about the immune connection to “fibromyalgia.” We’re talking about infection, a crucial step in the healing process. Without infection, we would quickly succumb to the ravages of toxic metabolic waste and invasive pathogens upon the body cells. Sounds like what “fibromyalgia” is all about—the ravages of toxic metabolic waste and invasive pathogens upon the body cells, which calls up an immune response to create an infection.

I’ve just made another “thought-process interrupt.” We automatically think of infections as something “bad” and a thing to “fight.” What I said above calls for different thinking—and that’s my intent in writing this blog: to help us think again and anew about dis-ease and health, but mainly about what we’ve called “disease.”

Notice I hyphenate that word when I use it, because there is no such thing as “a disease.” We’ve been programmed to think there is and that “disease” is our enemy that needs to be fought and destroyed with man-made chemical bullets, bombs and “surgical warfare.” But we’re only shadow boxing. Where diseases need to be gotten rid of is in human consciousness, where they are being invented, labeled and “cured” (as in preserved). That’s what you do when you cure something. You preserve it. Well, we need to stop curing disease and start supporting the healing processes of the body, which alone knows what to do about what we call “disease.”

There is a dis-ease created by such things as inflammation and infection. They don’t feel good. We’re not at ease with pain, and that’s as it should be, all things considered. Pain keeps us from hurting ourselves even further with inappropriate lifestyle activities. It should cause us to ask “Why does that hurt?” rather than “How can I get rid of this pain?” Pain is an alarm. You wouldn’t turn off the smoke or fire alarm. You would first look for the fire and seek to put it out. The smoke alarm will automatically shut off when the fire is put out and the smoke cleared out of the house. It’s the same with pain.

Our immune system creates fires all the time in order to burn up toxic waste. The only sensible thing to do is support it so it can do its job more quickly and efficiently. Fevers are life-savers and are not to be suppressed. They need to be allowed to burn at moderate temperatures (100 – 104). More than that is dangerous and should be brought down with cold applications to the head especially to prevent brain damage. Covering the body with blankets to help break a sweat will often break a fever.

So, let’s talk about supporting the immune system. Here’s its mechanism of action in medical terms. Read it first then I’ll break it down to help you understand it.

Cytokines mediate and control immune and inflammatory responses. Complex interactions exist between cytokines, inflammation and the adaptive responses in maintaining homeostasis, health, and well-being. Like the stress response, the inflammatory reaction is crucial for survival and is meant to be tailored to the stimulus and time. A full-fledged systemic inflammatory reaction results in stimulation of four major programs: the acute-phase reaction, the sickness syndrome, the pain program, and the stress response, mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system.

Simply stated, these are the messengers that alert the body’s immune system that the body has been invaded by harmful pathogens or free radicals. They mediate and control immune and inflammatory responses, just as it says. There is the “Redox Signaling Molecules,” for example. They play an important role in the body by activating antioxidants and turning on the immune response naturally to restore and maintain homeostasis—balance.

Watch this 5-minute video clip put out by ASEA as it contains a graphic demonstration of how cytokines work. Just bear with the promo for their product, although it represents a remarkable scientific breakthrough in the healthcare field, and I use the product myself and in my practice. This is important information to help us understand such modern-day health issues as “fibromyalgia” and “chronic fatigue syndrome.”

As you can see from the clip, the message has to get through to the immune system or else the invasion of pathogens and free radicals and the vulnerability of the cell walls will go unnoticed by the body.

IMMUNE ALLIANCE, NOT SYSTEM

Let me explain the so-called “immune system,” which is a misnomer. We do not “have” an “immune system” as such, although the thymus gland, spleen and bone marrow play pivotal roles in producing immune-response cells to deal with “non-self” toxins in the body. What we do have in an immune alliance which involves all the organs of the body, especially the organs of elimination, which includes the skin, by the way. So, just keep that in mind in your approach to supporting your “immune system.” For example, if you simply take antibiotics, pharma grade of natural, without doing something to clean out the metabolic waste with herbs, for instance, then you’ll end up crowding your lymphatic system with too much to handle on its own.

I’ll often give a client Congaplex or Thymex, “natural antibiotics” put out by Standard Process Labs, to support the body’s immune-response to strep and staph infections respectively. In a day or two the client often comes down with sinus congestion or swollen lymph nodes. This tells me that the lymphatic glands are congested, so I’ll back off from supporting the body’s immune response and start supporting its elimination system.

Standard Process and Medi-Herb provide superior products for this purpose, even natural antihistamines, like Antronex, Allerplex, and Fen-Gre to break up congestion in the sinuses and lymphatic glands, and ResCo, Broncafect, and PulmaCo to help clear out congestion in the bronchial tubes and lungs. A company by the name of Energique also provides a product called Lymphapar, which almost magically opens up the lymphatic glands—very helpful with lactating mothers, for which this sublingual homeopathic was formulated. These are all non-invasive, non-toxic, “natural medicines.” They are also quite affordable when compared to the escalating cost of drugs. Unfortunately, they are not covered by most insurance policies.

Invariably, a “virus” appears on the scene from seemingly out of nowhere to scavenge the debris left by dead cells that gave their lives putting out the fire of infection. That’s what they are and what they do—and they do appear to come from out of nowhere because they are simply normal cells of the body that have been transformed, morphed, and re-programmed as scavengers to clean up the mess left by the immune response, which I think is simply amazingly ingenious. So, we can then turn our attention to helping the body clean house so as to eliminate the necessity for the viral activity. This includes viruses that originate outside the body. They are still scavengers and they will not invade your body tissues if there is nothing there for them to scavenge. This emphasizes the importance of Fall and Spring full-body purification rituals.

Immuplex and St. John’s Wort help the body respond to viral infections. Herbal teas are helpful in eliminating waste. Bowel, liver and kidney detox products are plentiful. All one has to do is use them. Standard Process has a complete full-body Purification Kit with all the nutrients needed to clean out the body’s systems and tissues. Email me for product acquisition. My readers enjoy a 10% discount on all supplement orders. *

ECHINACEA & IMMUNE-RESPONSE MODULATION

When we are sick we usually think in terms of “stimulating the immune system.” Well, that may or may not be the right call. It’s far better to think in terms of modulating your immune response. Modulation simply entails balancing the immune response, which will be under-active where infections persist and over-active where autoimmune conditions persist, such as AIDS and rheumatoid arthritis.

Echinacea herb is probably the most effective modulating botanical in Mother Nature’s cornucopia of natural medicines. Medi-Herb, a sister company to Standard Process, has the very best Echanicea product in their Echinacea Premium—and it can be taken daily as a preventative, by children and adults alike, to keep the immune response balanced and poised to act appropriately in response to infections and autoimmune issues.

Not all Echinaceas are equal. For example, the root of the augustifolia plant has more goodies for the immune system than the flowers of the purpurea plant. Traditional Echinacea is made from the flowers, which is why people who are allergic to plants of the daisy family have a sensitivity to traditional Echinacea (made from Echinacea Purpurea flowers). Echinacea Premium by Medi-Herb is made from the root of the Echinacea angustifolia. The natives in Australia, where Medi-Herb manufactures its products, would pass over the flowering purpurea plants and dig up the root type augustifolia plant, which resembles a carrot, because they knew it worked better than the flower type plants.

Master Herbalist Dr. Kerry Bone of Medi-Herb has discovered that it’s the high concentrations of alkylamides that impact the immune system and not the polysacharides, as traditional European herbalists believe. Echinacea Premium combines the roots of Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea purpurea to enlist properties unique to each one in supporting the immune system. The following are some of it benefits:

And friends, you just need to stock up your “Natural Medicine Cabinet” with these products if you’re going to make the break from pharmaceutical drugs and start supporting your body’s immune system naturally. In this day and age, supplementation with wholefood nutritionals and herbs is unavoidable. And I walk my talk. Personally, I take up to 30 different supplements daily. That’s about 60 pills and capsules, a handfull at each meal. But that’s not much when I compare it to the three plates full of food I eat daily—and these are essences of wholefood concentrates designed and prescribed to reverse the “disease” process by balancing body chemistry—not “vitamin supplements,” which I strongly advise against.

For a personal consultation, email me for my telephone number and to schedule a time. My fees are very reasonable. We’ll talk more about the inflammatory and stress response systems in connection with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, which includes the thyroid’s involvement, in my next post. Until then,

Here’s to your health and healing,

Anthony Palombo, DC, ACN

Email address: tpal70@gmail.com

*Network marketing products, such as ASEA and Nopalea, are not included in this discount.

Visit my HealingTones.org blog for inspirational articles about sacred energy. The current series theme is Fourth Density Apocalypse 2012: The Science of Ascension.

There’s a saying that we will not solve problems by thinking at the same level as the problem. We have to think at a level above that of the problem. This saying is most applicable here. We have to think outside the box of orthodox medicine, wherein the diagnoses of ill conditions originate, in order to find answers. Not the conditions themselves, but the labels we’ve placed on them in medical science. So, let’s step outside this box to take a look at this condition called “fibromyalgia” and see if we can understand it and find solutions for healing.

So far we’ve established that the label of “fibromyalgia” is a “wastebasket” diagnosis, a catch-all for numerous symptoms, primary of which are pain and inflammation. We’ve come to understand that pain and inflammation trigger a healing response in the body, the inflammation itself telling you that you are okay, even with the pain. Nothing is “wrong” with your body. It’s working fine. A healing process is underway. All you can do is support it and try to discover what is inflicting the injury to your cells that’s creating the pain that’s triggering the inflammation and eliminate it.

Inflammation is normal—as long as it doesn’t last a long time where it becomes chronic inflammation, which means the body has accepted it as part of the status-quo and adapted itself to its necessity. . . mainly because the triggers of pain have not been eliminated. When the triggers of pain have been removed, those things that are bringing on the assault to your body’s cells, the necessity for your immune system’s inflammatory response and the subsequent need for a healing process has also been removed. This essentially is what the “cure” of “fibromyalgia” entails.

DEALING WITH THE PAIN

Before you shut off the pain with pain pills, consider this. If you shut off the pain you stand the risk of shutting down the healing process as well. Deal with the triggers of the pain, what is assaulting your body cells and injuring them and making them holler “STOP!” Your body’s healing process may not kick in if the brain isn’t getting the pain signal.

You can deal with the pain using natural solutions that also address the condition and support the healing process. Here are a few you can start applying as you back off your pain medication:

Boswellia Complexby Medi-Herb, a great anti-inflammatory, especially effective with inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. It comes out of Australia where world-renown master herbalist Kerry Bone developed the very finest line of herbal preparations and brought them here via Standard Process Labs, its affiliate company. It’s a bit pricey at $55.50 for a 90-tablet bottle, but well worth it. Medi-Herb products are only available through licensed health practitioners. I offer my readers a 15% on all Standard Process and Medi-Herb product orders.

Tuna Omega 3 Oil—Oil, especially fish oil, is nature’s coolant and insulator. Omega 3 oil insulates the cell against oxidation and will cool down inflammation. The quality of the oil is critical as oil easily goes rancid during processing where heat is used. Standard Process takes great care in processing their oils. Their Tuna Omega 3 Oil is the very finest of all fish oils on the market.

Nopalea (“No-pah lay’ uh”)—a tasty wellness drink sourced from the fruit of the Nopal cactus that thrives in the Sonoras Desert of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. It contains nutrients that can help the body reduce inflammation, detoxify, relieve many types of pain, promote optimal cellular health and energy. You can obtain it from me or order it online at www.sonoranbloom.com/14348092 . ($40 for a 32 oz bottle plus S&H)

AC Carbamide —another remarkable Standard Process product for dealing with pain caused by acidic body fluids, such as in gouty arthritis, because it acts as a buffer for uric acid. What carbamide actually does is enhance the flow of fluid through the tissue cell walls. Therefore it acts as a natural diuretic which does not leach out Potassium, which pharmaceutical diuretics do. It’s reasonably priced at $18 for 90 capsules and $48 for 270 capsules.

POSSIBLE CAUSES AND TRIGGERS

1. Toxicity: from chemicals and food additives, the most common and offensive one being aspartame, presentin all diet drinks. (Click on the word to read my blog post on it.) Get it out of your diet altogether. Use Stevia instead. I use Green Leaf because it doesn’t leave an aftertaste. There’s nothing wrong with raw sugar and honey in moderation, unless you have a weight problem and/or a sugar issue, as sugar and honey do spike insulin. Insulin carries glycogen to cells for energy, which is stored as fat when not burned up by physical exercise. Other food additive, such as preservatives, color and flavor enhancers, are toxins that become “free radicals” in the body. Free radicals are molecules with atoms that need an electron or two to stabilize them. They’ll get what they need from your cell walls, making the cells vulnerable to oxidation and invasion by bacteria and viruses. You can hardly get away from these free radical toxins, but you can protect your cells from damage by consuming food rich in antioxidants and supplementing with fish and wheat germ oils and other antioxidant supplements. * (See footnote below for details and a list of foods.)

2. Food sensitivities: sometimes erroneously called “food allergies.” The most common ones are wheat and corn gluten and dairy. “Gluten Intolerance” is widespread, as evidenced by the increasing number of gluten-free products in the marketplace. It’s the protein in these foods that get into the blood stream through an intestinal wall that has become eroded and “leaky,” as it is often characterized. A “leaky gut” can be the way that undigested proteins get into your blood stream and trigger an inflammatory response. The gut can be repaired.

You can rule out food sensitivities quite simply by eliminating suspect foods from your diet for a couple of weeks and then adding them back in to see how you feel eating them as opposed to how you felt abstaining from them. If you notice a difference, then you can be sure that your intestines are permeable. Eliminate those foods that make you feel bad until your gut is repaired.

The gut can be easily repaired with enzyme therapy and a wonderful herbal product by Medi-Herb, Gut Flora Complex. There’s no fast fix. This takes time, sometimes up to a year, depending on the extent of the erosion. Raw okra provides mucous digesting and tissue repair enzymes. Mucous is made of undigested protein that has become acidic and eats away at the lining of the intestines. Standard Process Labs makes an effective product called Okra Pepsin E3. The Vitamin “E3” part is the healing aspect of this product, so I emphasize the uniqueness of this wholefood formula. Enzyme therapy consists of taking enzymes on an empty stomach so that the enzymes are used up repairing the intestinal wall rather than in digesting foods. Proteolitic enzymes in Multizyme and Zymex II from Standard Process will complete the digestion of the protein in the mucous and digest any parasites, another cause of “leaky gut.” Standard Process and Medi-Herb products are available through my office.

3. Insulin can trigger inflammation if there’s more in the blood stream than the cells of the body can use in a day’s time, a condition called “hyperinsulism.” Cells have receptor sites (parking spots) for insulin molecules to deliver their packages of glycogen (blood sugar) to the cells for energy. When those receptor sites get filled up, the insulin molecules can’t park, so they stay in the blood stream where they can irritate and erode the walls of the blood vessels. This causes inflammation that triggers a healing and repair process to keep the blood vessels from leaking.

The Cholesterol Patch vs Statin Drugs

The body uses fat to plug the leaks until the vessel wall can be properly repaired. Cholesterol is the name given to this fat, and plaque is what the patch is called. With a little critical thinking one can see how by removing the trigger for the excess insulin you remove the necessity for the cholesterol patch and the extra cholesterol production by your liver, which we are not wise in preventing with Statin drugs. The body does not make mistakes and produce cholesterol for no good reason. Adding Statin drugs is an insult to the body’s innate intelligence . . . and it damages the liver and causes leg pains with extended use.

A 30-day Cure for “Type II Diabetes”

Insulin is spiked by sugar and starches, so one can back away from these spikes. By the way, what I’ve just described is what is labeled “type II diabetes” or “insulin-resistance.” This can easily be remedied by abstaining completely from insulin-triggering foods for 30 days: all refined carbohydrates, white rice, pasta, white flour products, Irish potatoes (red new potatoes are okay), sugar, and sweet fruits (red grapes, prunes and plums are okay). This will free up insulin receptor sites on the cells. After 30 days you can resume eating all of these foods—except refined carbohydrates, which should be avoided by everyone. This is simple and doable by anyone with the will and determination to take an active role in one’s healthcare and wellness.

Chromium and Gymnema Sylvestri

Another factor can be a lack of receptor sites due to a deficiency of chromium, a trace mineral used to create insulin receptor sites, found in few foods we consume on a regular basis. It’s in Brewer’s Yeast. It wouldn’t hurt to simply take a chromium supplement, such as Cataplex GTF by Standard Process (the GTF stands for glucose tolerance factor derived from nutritional yeast, a very important distinction to look for in choosing a chromium supplement).

The herb “gymnema sylvestri” is used plentifully in Australia to manage blood sugar, and Medi Herb again comes to the rescue with its product simply called Gymnema. Support to the pancreas is easily administered with the supplement Diaplex by Standard Process. Include some whole food Cataplex B to insure the production of insulin if you are insulin deficient. “Insulin dependence” is another limitation altogether, but then, again, you can control the level of blood sugar with Gymnema and thereby reduce your daily dose of insulin. Do this only with your doctor’s supervision. He may not approve, so you may need to assert your preference and autonomy by saying “I want to do this. Will you help me?” If your doctor will not participate with you, then simply find a doctor who will.

Here, again, it is necessary to be bone honest about how important of a role the label “diabetes” is playing in your life, defining your very sense of self. If your body is having a problem handling sugar, that does not make you a “diabetic.” You are still a human being with a free will and spirit. Why settle for anything less—a medical diagnosis, of all things—for your identity? It does make a difference in your consciousness how you perceive yourself. Here’s where the primary changes can take place in order to change your reality. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

Heal Dis-ease in Consciousness First

Miracles happen when changes occur in consciousness, and one of the limitations in consciousness preventing the “cure” of diabetes and other so-called “incurable diseases” is the very belief that they are entities in themselves and that they are incurable. No disease is incurable! Diabetes, like Fibromyalgia, is not an entity, except in someone’s consciousness, which means that it is an illusion. It doesn’t exist, except as a diagnostic term, a word that describes a condition of deficiency and malfunction in the body. Deficiencies and malfunctions can be corrected. “Diseases” cannot be “cured” because they are not entities in themselves, no more than darkness is something. Darkness is nothing. It’s the absence of something—light! In exactly the same way, disease is nothing. It’s the absence of something—health!

Did you see what I just did? I did a “thought-interrupt”—a flip in perspective— a consciousness update. Did you do it with me? That’s what really counts and what gives this blog its value as an educational medium. Now, I wonder what would happen if we were to remove the illusion of disease from our consciousness? Stopped giving health conditions diagnostic labels? Do you see where we might actually be able to start reading symptoms in terms of deficiencies and malfunctions and understand what we might do to correct them if we were not preoccupied shadow-boxing “disease”?

DETOXIFY, DETOXIFY, DETOXIFY. . . AND MOVE!

I highly recommend a total body detox and purification at least three times during the year, preferably every three months. Standard Process offers a 21-day Purification Product Kit which includes all the products you will need plus a comprehensive guide booklet. Your cells are swimming in their own acidic metabolic waste. Little wonder they hurt. They are in so much pain that they are committing suicide. It’s called “apoptosis” but it’s nonetheless suicide. Dying and decaying cells add to the toxic waste. Lymph glands become congested with too much to handle. Lymph depends on muscle movement for its circulation and pain is making exercise difficult. But just a 20 to 30 minute walk four times a week and preferably every day would suffice.

Write me for the full-body detoxification program and the Purification Kit. It’s very easy to do and absolutely required at the onset of your adventure in restoring your health. You’ll lose ten to twenty pounds as a bonus. Just do it.

We have a little more to cover on possible causes and triggers and this post is already long and dense enough. So, we’ll continue next week and complete this special then return to our Seven Glands for Seven Spirits series. Until then, here’s to your health and healing,

Write me at tpal70@gmail.com for personal attention to your situation. My consultation fee is very reasonable, and product acquisition easy and fast.

*An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When the chain reaction occurs in a cell, it can cause damage or death to the cell. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions. They do this by being oxidized themselves, so antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols, ascorbic acid [Vitamin C ], or polyphenols…. For example, honey; most legumes; fruits such as apples, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, pomegranate, cherries, cranberries, grapes, pears, plums, raspberries, aronia berries, and strawberries; and vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, celery, onion and parsley are rich in polyphenols. Red wine [resveratrol], dark chocolate, white tea, green tea, olive oil, argan oil, bee pollen and many grains are sources. Ingestion of polyphenols occurs by consuming a wide array of plant foods. (Wikipedia).